


Mismatched

by potentiality_26



Category: Thorne (TV)
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 22:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13420698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potentiality_26/pseuds/potentiality_26
Summary: Things between him and Phil had been better since the Palmer case- but asking how Tom was, willingly involving himself in Tom’s personal life... Tom hadn’t thought Phil was quite there yet.  Not unless he looked like he was on death’s door.  He didn’t, did he?Tom makes a mistake on his way to work.





	Mismatched

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a prompt from [this list](https://mouserzwuzhere.tumblr.com/post/131070692019/101-drabble-prompts) and a conversation I had on tumblr.
> 
> Not Brit-picked.

“Are you okay?” Phil asked.

Tom blinked.  “Why do you ask?”  Things between him and Phil had been better since the Palmer case- but asking how Tom was, willingly involving himself in Tom’s personal life... Tom hadn’t thought Phil was quite there yet.  Not unless he looked like he was on death’s door.  He didn’t, did he?  Tom hoped not, but then he hadn’t paid a lot of attention as he went out the door that morning.

“You’re wearing two different shoes.”

Tom looked down.  That would be a possible consequence of not paying a lot of attention as he went out the door that morning.  He laughed quietly.  Ruth had forced him to take a little more time off after Palmer and everything that happened.  Tom had insisted he didn’t need it and Ruth had ignored him; he and Phil were about to meet with her regarding his first case since he’d been back.  This wouldn’t exactly be putting his best foot forward, would it?  “I didn’t notice,” he said.

“Well, yeah,” Phil said, looking Tom up and down from where he leaned against the doorway of Tom's office.  “I didn’t think you’d done it on purpose.  That’s almost as good as coming into work with no shoes on at all.”

“You weren’t even there when I did that.”

“I heard about it, though.  From everyone.”

Tom laughed again.  “I’m fine.”  He’d done almost nothing during his time off, and the transition from doing nothing to something had been even more jarring than usual.  He’d overslept, and in his rush to still make this meeting he’d missed some things.  It was that simple.

That simple, and not at the same time.  He missed Phil.  He missed him during that time off, he missed him when they were both on the job, he even missed him right now.  And if working together was all he got, then he’d work until he dropped. 

At least Phil was teasing him again- and about events from the Calvert case at that.  At least the sharp teeth on every word had been blunted at last.  That was something, something Tom thought was actually worth looking silly in front of Ruth.  In front of everyone.

“I’ll give you a lift home after this, if you like,” Phil offered as Tom picked up his remaining paperwork.  “Then at least a few people won’t see those.”

Tom paused on his way to the door.  He had driven himself here and didn’t technically need to be driven anywhere.  It was hard to tell, looking at Phil, if he knew that or not.  Tom’s answer was obvious either way: “Thanks.  I appreciate it.”

Nodding, Phil glanced down at Tom’s shoes one more time.  His eyes crinkled with amusement.

Definitely worth it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me on [tumblr](http://potentiality-26.tumblr.com/).


End file.
